In an alternate universe…

Okay, statmetrics program of mine, why in the name of the White Star Line is my April 2012 blog post about what would have happened if Titanic had not hit that iceberg suddenly getting a lot of attention and Internet hits of late?

This happens from time to time. Sometimes a blog post I wrote a year or two or three ago will suddenly match up with someone’s search, and next thing I know it’s linked to an article or to a message board. Well, I wrote this blog piece about the Titanic missing the iceberg as part of the 100th anniversary of the ill-fated ocean liner. I didn’t spend months or years researching every single detail in obsessive, James Cameron-style, instead I just played like i was Uatu the Watcher and postulated about the repercussions the ship not sinking on that fateful April night.

Wrote it, got a few comments, went on to a blog post for April 13, 2012.

Well, a few weeks ago, the vintage blog post got a ton of hits.

Of course Chuck’s going to investigate. That’s why I have a statmetrics program in the first place.

So let’s hear from some of these alternate history posters, shall we? Starting with “KingBaldrick”:

I think #2 was the most implausible one. First of all, both the Olympic and Britannic were requisitioned by the Admiralty during WWI – if the Titanic hadn’t sunk, it’s likely she would’ve been as well. Second, the Romanov’s would probably have fled to Britain, not the U.S.A. Third, he completely ignores the Russian Civil War and has the infant Bolshevik government invade the U.S.A., regardless of how militarily deficient they were in 1917. Even at the height of its power, the U.S.S.R. couldn’t have invaded the U.S.A.! Worst of all, it is implied that World War I was not taking place when the Romanov’s were taking their trip to America, yet the Bolsheviks somehow seized power. The only reason they came to power in the first place is because of Russia’s involvement in the First World War!

Oh… kay…

Someone named “Yorel” added their comments.

These three are a serious case of Did Not Do the Research.

I can’t believe in the #1 scenario for the simple reason I don’t know how people would know about the Titanic transporting Ammunitions so easily. Hell, OTL the Lusitania was under those suspicions (which is why he was on the targetted) and was sunk by a German submarine but that didn’t stop the Americans from joining the Allies two years later. Then, as you said, there are huge chances the Titanic would have been requisitionned by the Admiralty for the war given his sister-ships were: the Olympic carried troops and supplies (and managed to sink a sub) while the Britannic served as a Hospital Ship (and was sunk by a mine).

Second Scenario’s first half is somewhat plausible if you manage to get an earlier October Revolution, in which case I can buy the Tsar being on a cruise on the Titanic for a trip to the US and the Bolsheviks taking over while he is away. The second half… is messed up: the Soviets would have to stabilize the country first and create the Red Army before declaring any sort of war. And nothing says there wouldn’t be an ATL Russian Civil War.

The third half is a WTF. Captain Smith was an experience seaman and, last time I checked, he wasn’t a drunkard. And I don’t see any form of celebration before Titanic is docked in the Harbor.

Instead, I decided to let that message board know that I saw their posts. Not in an accusatory or demeaning way, mind you – heck, I used to watch the 60’s retro show American Dreams and scream bloody murder every time they got the history wrong – so I understand where these people are coming from.

So I decided to go to the message board and introduce myself.

Well, what else would you do in a situation like that?

And then I thought about some things. You know, all it takes is a left turn when one should take a right, and a person’s future changes in an instant. And it’s kind a fun to create alternate histories of events, you know, what might have happened had Lee Harvey Oswald misfired, or what might have happened had Bucky Dent struck out in 1978…

And maybe, if I’m at a loss for a blog post, I might come up with another alternate history fictional postulation. Maybe something like what might have happened had I eaten an Egg McMuffin for breakfast this morning instead of a bacon egg and cheese biscuit.